Admit it. You're Creative.
Toronto's WCIW Signature Event
"Admit It You’re Creative" (AIYC) is Toronto’s World Creativity and Innovation Week signature event. Now in it’s 9th year, AIYC is a fun and informative afternoon workshop series that invites the public to discover, rediscover, and uncover their creative potential.
The event begins at noon with a short overall introduction to start the celebration. Several 75-minute interactive workshops will be held, followed by a break and then another round of workshop options from which to choose. Once you 
Register for the event, you are welcome to join whichever session appeals to you. We like to say, “Let your feet decide”. If you want to try a different session than the one you first selected, you are welcome to move on to another one.
We want to thank our presenters for volunteering their time and energy into making this the best event ever. Have a look at who will be there.
List of Workshops and Presenters
- Creative Thinking: How to Create, Innovate and Lead Change
Today, success requires more than being great. It requires being remarkable. It is the quality of thinking and the thinking environment that differentiates remarkable organizations from merely good ones. Good companies often pay lip service to the innovation imperative. Remarkable companies live it.
Creative thinking is the platform skill on which innovative cultures are built. Everyone, regardless of starting point, working in a team or alone, can get better results in less time by developing creative thinking skills. This highly interactive session is designed to:
Outcomes
- Help you think more clearly, more creatively and more productively.
- Provide immediate experience with tools and techniques for creative thinking.
- Unlock the innovative ideas already inside you and your organization.
About the Presenter
Kristen Peterson is a creativity and innovation facilitator, trainer, coach and catalyst. She works with organizations in North America, providing innovation workshops, training and facilitation to help companies create and develop new products, new processes and new strategies.
She believes organizations and individuals must transform to confront the economic and lifestyle challenges of the 21st century. They must think differently - more creatively, more productively, more proactively.
Kristen is responsible for Program and Marketing Management and is on the faculty of the Creative Problem Solving Institute, the world's leading conference on Creativity, Innovation & Change. She is on the Board of Trustees for Facilitators Without Borders and is a founder of Mindcamp and Thinkx Intellectual Capital Inc. She is a certified practitioner of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), FourSight, Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem Solving and Thinkx Productive Thinking. 
www.cpsiconference.com
kpeterson@creativeeducationfoundation.org- Improv 101 - Learn to say "yes...and"
This session will teach the fundamentals of improv in a respectful way that encourages participation without humiliation. Through a series of exercises participants will learn some basic terminology, skills and a sense of play.
For individuals, improv can help improve your listening skills and focus, teaches you the ability of being present and in the moment, builds confidence and allows you to practice creative thinking. For groups or teams, it is a great way to promote meaningful and lasting collaboration and trust among team members, learn to be affirmative and supportive of one another's ideas and building on each other's ideas to create something together that you could not have done alone.
This session will be highly interactive with some physicality but accessible to all .Outcomes
- Have an introduction to improv and an appreciation for scene work
- Be aware of the importance of listening and building on each other's ideas
- Have fun!!
About the Presenter
Jennifer Spear, Founder & Creative Strategist, Clean Slate Strategies
Jennifer Spear is a recovering senior executive who now helps companies Do Things Differently through Management Innovation. Jennifer is a conceptual ideator and acts as a creative catalyst for her clients. Jennifer is a Dynamic Speaker, Artful Facilitator, Engaged Consultant and is passionate about the need for management innovation and creating engaged and creative workforces. As a graduate of both Ivey's Executive MBA program and Second City, Jennifer operates where the business and creative worlds collide. She works with companies to help them Solve Problems, Plan Strategically and make creativity and innovation a reality in their workplaces. www.cleanslatestrategies.com jspear@cleanslatestrategies.com- Modeling the Creative Process of Walt Disney
Walt Disney is universally recognized as one of the foremost creative people of the last century. What made him tick differently than other creative types? How did he go from the 17-year-old ambulance driver in World War I to the visionary who purchased 20,000 acres of swampland in central Florida and created Disneyworld?
This session describes in detail the underlying, unconscious process Disney used to harness his own creativity, and more importantly, how he went from creative vision to action.Outcomes
- Creativity is a process - not a magic fairy dust.
- Differentiate between types of creative thinking
- Possess a usable process that can be used immediately.
Geared toward anyone who needs to understand that creativity is a process - not some magic dust that only 'creative' people possess.
About the Presenters
Hugh Comerford is an Invention Facilitator and Catalyst, and Synecticsworld Community Partner. He is also a Master Practitioner and Trainer of Neurolinguistic Programming. Colleen Reitzel is an Associate at Synecticsworld and Practitioner of Neurolinguistic Programming
www.synecticsworld.com- Fire Up Your Brain with Brain GYM
Tap into your brain, power it up and put it to work creatively. Brain Gym is a series of simple and enjoyable movements, which activate the whole brain for better learning, creativity and optimum performance in all areas of life. These easy-to-learn movements reduce stress, improve clarity, focus, communication and organization. Benefits are immediately noticeable, and regular practice creates profound and long-lasting growth in the areas of health, relationships and career. Used in classrooms and businesses worldwide, Brain Gym helps people use their brainpower more effectively. Let Elizabeth show you how easy it is to turn your brain on for maximum effect.
Outcomes
- Quick and easy movements to heighten brain energy prior to tackling creative challenges
- Quick and easy movements to engage the whole brain in tackling creative challenges
- The role of movement and water in heightened brain function
About the Presenter
Elizabeth Huggins accelerates the performance and bottom line results for brands and teams. Clients say she goes beyond strategist and facilitator, more a catalyst, injecting the strategic process with stimulus, energy and pace. She helps them find clarity - differentiated, sustainable, rational and emotional value creation - quickly, to maximize the market opportunity and the team's time. Innovation, Brand Strategy, Digital and Change Leadership are all part of her high-energy package.
Elizabeth has successfully led innovation programs and built strategies for Canada's leading brands and agencies for 16 years. She is a certified creative problem solving facilitator and on the Creative Problem Solving Institute, NY, faculty. She holds advanced certification in diagnosing thinking strategy through the KAI Inventory and Theory© and a Masters Certificate in Sustainable Change Leadership from the Schulich School of Business.
Her company, Marketing Innovation Change Unlimited, also offers Think Smart™ workshops - creative thinking skills for immediate application. She is past Chair of World Creativity & Innovation Week, GTA.- Solution in a Box: Innovation tools for every day
Ever find yourself stuck on a seemingly simple decision, like what kind of vacation would keep everyone happy? In a world of many choices, sometimes we need help to figure out what we really want.
This session will show you how to use a simple but powerful tool that can help you generate new ideas, and simplify problems that have you churning endless possibilities. "Product Box" is a versatile tool that I've used to help a client design a new continuing education program, and also to decide what kind of car we really wanted.
This is a hands-on interactive session, where you can work on your own challenge, or well provide a problem for you. (NO artistic skill is needed.)Outcomes
- Experience the "product box" creative thinking tool
- Learn how it works and why it works
About the Presenter
Susan Abbott is a researcher and consultant specializing in customer experience. She helps organizations discover insights, design solutions, and deliver results.
She is a frequent presenter on topics related to customer experience, innovation and qualitative research.
Prior to starting Abbott Research + Consulting, Susan was a vice-president of the TD Bank Financial Group. She holds an MBA from Ivey, is on the board of the Qualitative Research Consultants Association, and is a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers. Visit www.abbottresearch.com or the Customer Crossroads blog to learn more or download free stuff.
- Truly Madly Deeply: Juicy Soul Gazing
Here's an invitation to 'Know Thyself'.
Come lose your head a while. Slip past your thoughts and intentions. Learn the pictorial language of your soul and meet more of the real you.
There's a fabulous space inside you buoyant with undiscovered treasure, brimming with wisdom, bursting with awareness. That's where we're headed.
This powerful hands-on workshop gives your unconscious mind a chance to speak up - clearly, playfully, provocatively - right from your heart. Explore the messages of insight communicated through your creativity. Reach in beyond what you thought you already knew. Leave feeling a measure more whole.Outcomes
- Deeper self-knowledge
- Greater self-awareness
- Creative self-expression
About the Presenter
Laila Ghattas hasn't had a dull moment since the mid 90's leading Truly Madly Deeply Self-Discovery Workshops around the world. She's passionate about her richly textured vocation as a Gestalt therapist, artist, writer, Reiki practitioner, group facilitator and public speaker.
Otherwise known as The Travelling Therapist, Laila's personal growth company and dream come true, Aziza Healing Adventures, offers gentle eco journeys and retreats to beautiful destinations in North America and Bali. Between jaunts Laila hangs out in Toronto where she has a private practice and enchanted garden. www.aziza.ca info@aziza.ca- Putting Your Ideas on the Red Carpet
You have a fantastic idea that can make the world a better place. But now you have to sell your idea. You have to explain your idea in a way that will get people interested, engaged and motivated. Many people before you have created wonderful things that have never made it into the main stream. For it to benefit mankind, mankind needs to know about it. In this workshop you will learn how to tell a powerful story using traditional storytelling techniques. You will then learn how to use your story to get attention and promote your ideas. You will learn how Hollywood promotes stories to get attention and how you can too. How you can use these techniques to get your ideas known so that it can benefit the most people.
Outcomes
- How to tell a powerful story in order to promote your ideas.
- Learn a storytelling template based upon traditional storytelling techniques.
- The 6 things your story must have to be memorable.
Suitable for Entrepreneurs and professionals
About the Presenter
Stephen Semple, THINC. Ideal
Stephen has presented at many associations and events and has always been well received. His presentations are high energy and full of new ideas. He is highly creative and at times a bit controversial. After all, he uses Hollywood as a business mode for marketing professional services. Stephen is a born entrepreneur. In University he built the Maritimes largest mobile entertainment business employing over 30 students. He sold that business and returned to Ontario where he entered the investment business. While in the investment business he developed unique investment models that he branded and used to build a highly successful investment counseling practice. One lesson that Stephen has learned is that having a great idea and being innovative is important. But just building a better mousetrap does not guarantee success. You still need to get your ideas out into the main stream in order to be successful. Otherwise your ideas are destined to be the world's best kept secret.
Stephen Semple
THINC. Ideal www.howtosellexpertservices.com steve@thincideal.com- Laugh your Way to Creativity
They say Laughter is an instant vacation. So join us for a 75 minute trip that's fun, inexpensive and doesn't require any travel. Your experience begins with laughter yoga and a variety of engaging activities guaranteed to tickle your funny bone. The benefits of laughter for reducing stress and boosting creativity are your final destination. You'll return home relaxed, energized and raring to be creative.
Outcomes
- Learn how laughter reduces stress & why thats important for creativity
- Learn why laughter contributes to creativity
- Have fun
Open to everyone
About the Presenter
Wendy Woods is Principal of Watershed Training Solutions, a dynamic training company she founded in 2003. Her workshops include stress management, productive teamwork and effective communication as well as many other critical workplace skills. Wendy's years of hands-on business and adult education experience, complimented by an M.B.A. and Certificate in Adult Education, provide her clients with productive and profitable results.
Wendy is best known as an expert speaker on laughter where she motivates and energizes her audiences. Her expertise has been featured in such media as CTV News, Breakfast Television, Rogers Daytime, Classical 96.3, Entertainment Tonight Canada and Canadian Business Online.
